The purpose of the study is to contribute to the understanding of quality of life as it is experienced by a community-based, nonclinical sample of individuals with HIV/AIDS by applying family resiliency theory and cognitive appraisal concepts of uncertainty and optimism. Through the use of a Web-based survey, 125 individuals with HIV/AIDS completed an online questionnaire. Disease progression, as measured by CD4 count, is not found to be related to quality of life. When considered separately, both the family resiliency variables and the cognitive appraisal variables are found to predict quality of life. The overall prediction model, composed of the three sets of predictor variables—cognitive appraisal, family resiliency, and disease progression—is found to explain over 60% of the variance in quality of life of people with HIV/AIDS.
Anderson, K. (1998). The relationship between family coherence and family quality of life after illness diagnosis. In H. McCubbin, E. Thompson, A. Thompson, & J. Fromer (Eds.), Stress, coping and health in families (pp. 169-188). London: Sage.
2.
Azar, M., & Badr, L.K. (2006). The adaptation of mothers of children with intellectual disability in Lebanon. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 17, 375-380.
3.
Beveridge, S., & Fabian, E. (2007). Vocational rehabilitation outcomes: Relationship between individualized plan for employment goals and employment outcomes. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 50, 238-246.
4.
Bishop, M., Berven, N.L., Hermann, B.P., & Chan, F. (2002). Quality of life among adults with epilepsy. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 45, 87-93.
5.
Bor, R., Miller, R., & Goldman, E. (1993). HIV/AIDS and the family: A review of research in the first decade. Journal of Family Therapy, 15, 187-204.
6.
Bramlett, R., Hall, J., Barnett, D., & Rowell, R. (1995). Child developmental/educational status in kindergarten and family coping as predictors of parenting stress. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 13, 157-166.
7.
Brissette, I., Scheier, M.F., & Carver, C.S. (2002). The role of optimism in social network development, coping, and psychological adjustment during a life transition. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 102-111.
8.
Brown, M.A., & Powell-Cope, G.M. (1991). AIDS family caregiving: Transitions through uncertainty. Nursing Research, 40, 338-345.
9.
Buda Abela, M., & Dijkers, M. (1994, April). Predicting life satisfaction among spinal cord injured patients one to three years post injury. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Spinal Injury Association , Philadelphia, PA.
10.
Butler, S. (2004). Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) elders: The challenges and resilience of this marginalized group. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 9, 25-44.
11.
Cassileth, B.R. (1980). Information and participation preferences among cancer patients. Annual Review of Internal Medicine, 92, 832-836.
12.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ( 2002). Traumatic brain injury in the United States: A report to Congress. Retrieved June 13, 2007, from http://www.cdc.gov/doc.do/id/0900f3ec80010126 .
13.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ( 2005). HIV/AIDS surveillance report: Volume 17. Atlanta, GA: Author.
14.
Cummins, R.A. (2005). Moving from the quality of life concept to a theory . Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 49, 699-706.
15.
Emlet, C.A. (2006). Examination of the social networks and social isolation in older and younger adults living with HIV/AIDS. Health and Social Work, 31, 299-308.
16.
Fink, S.V. (1995). The influence of family resources and family demands on the strains and well-being of caregiving families. Nursing Research, 44, 139-146.
17.
Friedland, J., Renwick, R., & McColl, M. (1996). Coping and social support as determinants of quality of life in HIV/AIDS. AIDS Care , 8, 15-31.
18.
Friedman, L.C., Nelson, D.V., Baer, P.E., Lane, M., Smith, F.E., & Dworkin, R.J. (1992). The relationship of dispositional optimism, daily life stress and domestic environment to coping methods used by cancer patients . Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15, 127-142.
19.
Hergenrather, K., Rhodes, S., & Clark, G. (2004). Employment-seeking behavior of person with HIV/AIDS: A theory based approach. Journal of Rehabilitation, 70(4), 22-33.
20.
Holmes, W.C., & Shea, J.A. (1998). A new HIV/AIDS-Targeted quality of life (HAT-QoL) instrument. Medical Care, 36, 138-154.
21.
Holmes, W.C., & Shea, J.A. (1999). Two approaches to measuring quality of life in the HIV/AIDS population: HAT-QoL and MOS-HIV. Quality of Life Research, 8, 515-527.
22.
Johnson, J.L., & Endler, N.S. (2002). Coping with human immunodeficiency virus: Do optimists fare better? Current Psychology, 21, 3-16.
23.
Kim, S.G. (2002). Factors influencing stress appraisal of cancer patients' primary caregivers. Journal of Korean Academy Adult Nursing, 14, 125-134.
24.
Kosciulek, J.F. (1994). Dimensions of Family Coping with Head Injury. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 37, 244-257.
25.
Kosciulek, J.F. (2004). Family Counseling. In F. Chan, N. Berven, & K. Thomas (Eds.), Counseling theories and techniques for rehabilitation health professionals (pp. 264-281). New York: Springer.
26.
Leavitt, F. (1990). The role of psychological disturbance in extending disability time among compensable back injured industrial workers. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 34, 447-453.
27.
LeBlanc, A.J., & Wight, R.G. (2000). Reciprocity and depression in AIDS caregiving . Sociological Perspectives, 43, 631-649.
28.
Loew, F., & Rapin, C.H. (1994). The paradox of quality of life and its phenomenological approach. Journal of Palliative Care, 10, 37-41.
29.
Lynch, V.J. (2000). HIV/AIDS at Year 2000. Boston : Allyn & Bacon.
30.
Marsh, D.T., Lefley, H.P., Evans-Rhodes, D., Ansell, V.I., Doerzbacher, B.M., LaBarbera, L., et al. (1996). The family experience of mental illness: Evidence for resilience. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal , 41, 138-156.
31.
McCain, N.L., & Cella, D.F. (1995). Correlates of stress in HIV disease. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 17, 141-155.
32.
McCubbin, H.I., Comeau, J., & Harkins, J. (1981). Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation-inventories for research and practice. In H. I. McCubbin , A. I. Thompson, & M. A. McCubbin (Eds.), Family Inventory of Resources for Management (FIRM). Madison: University of Wisconsin.
33.
McCubbin, H.I., Kapp, S., & Thompson, A.I. (1993). Critical issues in residential treatment. In T. Grasso, I. Epstein, & T. Tripodi (Eds.), Monitoring family system functioning, family and adolescent coping in the context of residential treatment: Implications for program management, practice innovation and research (pp. 155-173). New York: Haworth.
34.
McCubbin, H.I., Larsen, A., & Olson, D. (1982). Family Coping Coherence Index (FCCI). In H. I. McCubbin, A. I. Thompson, & M. A. McCubbin (Eds.), Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation-Inventories for research and practice (pp. 703-712, 835). Madison: University of Wisconsin.
35.
McCubbin, H.I., Olson, D., & Larsen, A. (1981). Family Crisis Oriented Personal Scales (F-COPES) . In H. I. McCubbin, A. I. Thompson, & M. A. McCubbin (Eds.), Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation-Inventories for research and practice (2nd ed., pp. 195-207). Madison: University of Wisconsin.
36.
McCubbin, H.I., Thompson, A., & McCubbin, M.A. (1996). Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
37.
McNulty, K., Livneh, H., & Wilson, L.M. (2004). Perceived uncertainty, spiritual well-being, and psychosocial adaptation in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Rehabilitation Psychology, 49, 91-99.
38.
Mishel, M.H. (1999). Uncertainty in chronic illness. Annual Review of Nursing Research, 17, 269-294.
39.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2005 ). NIMH international scientific conference on the role of families in preventing and adapting to HIV/AIDS. Retrieved July 17, 2007, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/scientificmeetings/hivaids2005.cfm
40.
Northouse, L.L., Mood, D., Templin, T., Mellon, S., & George, T. (2000). Couples' patterns of adjustment to colon cancer . Social Science Medicine, 50, 271-284.
41.
Pedhazur, E.J. (1997). Multiple regression in behavioral research: Explanation and prediction. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.
42.
Penedo, F., Gonzalez, J., Dahn, J., Antoni, M., Malow, R., Costa, P., et al. (2003). Personality, quality of life and HAART adherence among men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 54, 271-278.
43.
Perrone, K.M., Perrone, P.A., Chan, F., & Thomas, K.R. (2000). Assessing efficacy and importance of career counseling competencies. Career Development Quarterly, 48, 212-225.
44.
Pinelli, J. (2000). Effects of family coping and resources on family adjustment and parental stress in the acute phase of the NICU experience. Neonatal Network, 19, 6-9.
45.
Pitalka, K., Laakkonen, M., Strandberg, T., & Tilvis, R. (2004). Positive life orientation as a predictor of 10-year outcome in an aged population. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology , 57, 409-414.
46.
Raveis, V., & Siegel, K. (1990). Community based care of persons with AIDS: Developing a research agenda: Impact of caregiving on informal or familial caregivers . Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
47.
Reid, C., Kitchen, J.A., Kendall, S.L., & Deutsch, P. (2005). Case management with people who have AIDS or HIV infection. In F. Chan, M. Leahy, & J. Saunders (Eds.), Case management for rehabilitation health professionals (Vol. 1, pp. 369-387). Osage Beach, MO: Aspen Professional Services.
48.
Sammarco, A. (2001). Perceived social support, uncertainty, and quality of life of younger breast cancer survivors. Cancer Nursing , 24, 212-219.
49.
Satriano, J., Berkman, A., & Remien, R. (2005). AIDS and HIV related conditions . In M. Eisnbergh, & H. Zaretsky (Eds.), Medical aspects of disability (pp. 59-78). New York: Springer.
50.
Schalock, R.L. (2005). Quality of life: Introduction and overview. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 49, 695-698.
51.
Scheier, M.F., & Carver, C.C. (1985). Optimism, coping, and health: Assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies. Health Psychology, 4, 219-247.
52.
Scheier, M.F., & Carver, C.C. (1987). Dispositional optimism and physical well-being: The influence of generalized outcome expectancies on health. Journal of Personality, 55, 169-210.
53.
Scheier, M.F., Carver, C.C., & Bridges, M.W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 67, 1063-1078.
54.
Scheier, M.F., Matthews, K., Owens, J., Magovern, G., Lefebvre, R., Abbot, R., et al. (2003). Dispositional optimism; coronary artery bypass surgery; physical recovery; psychological well-being; physical well-being . In P. Salovey & A. J. Rothman (Eds.), Social psychology of health (pp. 342-361). New York: Psychology Press.
55.
Selder, F. (1989). Life transition theory: The resolution of uncertainty . Nursing and Health Care, 10, 437-451.
56.
Stensman, R. (1985). Severely mobility-disabled people access to quality of their lives. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine , 20, 226-250.
57.
Stinnett, N., & DeFrain, J. (1989). The healthy family: Is it possible? In M. Fine (Ed.), The second handbook on parent education: Contemporary perspectives (pp. 53-74). San Diego: Academic Press.
58.
Thompson, S.J., Auslander, W.F., & White, N.H. (2001) Comparison of single-mothers and two-parent families on metabolic control of children with diabetes. Diabetes Care , 24, 234-238.
59.
Chen, X., Ender, P., Mitchell, M., & Wells, C. (2006). Introduction to SAS, Tests on Multicollinearity . UCLA: Academic Technology Services. Retrieved March 2, 2007 from www.ucla.edu/stat/spss/webbooks/reg/chapter2/spssreg2.htm
60.
Valdiserri, R.O. (2003). HIV/AIDS in historic profile. In R. Valdiserri (Ed.), Dawning answers: How the HIV/AIDS epidemic has helped strengthen public health (pp. 3-32). Oxford , UK: Oxford University Press.
61.
Weinfurt, K.P., Willke, R.J., Glick, H.A., Freimuth, W.W., & Schulman, K.A. (2000). Relationship between CD4 count, viral burden, and quality of life over time in HIV-1 infected patients . Medical Care, 38, 404-410.
62.
Weitz, R., (1989). Uncertainty and the lives of persons with AIDS . Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 30, 270-281.
63.
World Health Organisation Quality of Life Assessment. (1995). The World Health Organisation Quality of Life Assessment (WHO-QOL): Position paper from the World Health Organisation. Social Science and Medicine, 41, 1403.
